The head of the Israeli army’s Central Command, Avi Blot, has warned that escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank “could end in disaster”.
Speaking during a meeting with settler leaders, Blot said acts of violence by settlers “endanger lives and threaten security”, according to Israel’s official broadcasting authority. He described the attacks as “illegal and immoral” and cautioned that the situation is approaching “more serious incidents” without elaborating further.
Around 750,000 Israeli settlers live across 141 settlements and 224 outposts in the West Bank, including about 250,000 in settlements in East Jerusalem. The Central Command oversees military and security operations across the territory.
Human rights organisations say the Israeli army provides protection to settlers during many attacks on Palestinians.
The Israeli human rights group B’Tselem said violence has intensified in recent weeks, reporting that settlers and soldiers have carried out attacks resulting in killings, arson and property destruction.
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B’Tselem director Yuli Novak said the killings are “not random” but part of a broader campaign aimed at displacing Palestinians. She added that the violence persists in the absence of effective international action.
Since the start of the war in Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources report that at least 1,154 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank, with around 11,750 injured and nearly 22,000 arrested.
The violence has also involved the demolition of homes, displacement of residents and continued settlement expansion across the territory, including East Jerusalem, which the United Nations considers occupied.
Palestinian officials warn that the escalation of attacks could pave the way for formal annexation of the West Bank, undermining the prospect of a Palestinian state based on international resolutions.
The government of Benjamin Netanyahu has defended settlers, amid growing international criticism over developments on the ground.
READ: Israel detains 1,800 Palestinian children since Gaza war began
